Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-07-21

voice OF one OF the ralIrOau O1cldI5
calling out something, of which tho
words express and passengers
were alone Ineligible to Tad's ear.
This was followed by the usual frantic
rush toward the great swing doors
leading into the depot. The tail gem
tleman sprang nervously to his feet,
and, snatching up his travelling rug,
shot through the doorway as though he
had but five seconds in which: to board
a train that did not start for ten min
utes, schedule time. Hi, therer'
cried Tad after him, you've left your
little sachelr' but the gentleman was
beyond call. So, selling the handbag
from the next seat, Tad elbowed his
way through the t:rong, into the depot,
| in hot pursuit of him of the fowing
ulster.
Just inside the swing doors stood a
policeman of imposing presence. He
was large fat man but extremely
jealous, and his professional instincts
were at once reused at the sight of a
shabbily-dressed boy lodging in and
out of the crowd, with nickel-plated
alligatOr-skin sachel in his hand. Step
ping hastily forward he laid a heavy
hand on Tad's shoulder.
Now, after the manner of his kind,
Tad regarded all policemen as natural
foes to be feared-and, as far as posi-
bic, avoided. So, no sooner did he
recognize the dreaded touch than, slip
ping eel-like from his would-be cap
tors grasp, Tad, with an inarticulate
cry of terror, dove directly under the
wheels of the nearest train.
The cars were at a stand-stin, of
course, but had they been in motion.
am not so sure but Tad would have
acted exactly the same, so great was
his fear of arrest. True, in theory,
conscious innocence is generally sup
posed to show bold front, but unfor-
tunately this is not always the case in
Eractice, particularly in an issue be-
wfen a big policeman and small boy.
Is Tad emerged on the opposite side
Fof ihe track, with the encouraging cry
of % Stop, thief" ringing in his ears,
, Just in time to confront the blue
coated official, who, in some inexplica-
BILE way, had reached the spot as quick
ly as himself.
{" There he is!'' shouted a young
man, whom Tad had noticed in the
waiting-room little before, and, hest
tating for brief second, the hunted
lad, who still chung to the cause of
his trouble, sprang upon the platform
of parlor-car attached to the waitin g
train. Flinging open the door, he
II to6 in RI
pass through to the other end, where,
slipping off, he hoped to be able to
lose himself in the crowd.
Vain hope! AS he hurried between
the rows of as yet unoccupied chairs,
the rattle of the conductors key was
heard in the rear door at which he was
hoping to escape, while the shuttle of
feet, and sound of voices, at the door
which he had entered, told Tad that he
was fairly trapped.
CHANGING despairingly about him.
Tad's quick eye discovered at least Il
temporary hiding place. Dropping on
his knees, he crawled behind the near
est of the revolving chairs, which, fort
unately for him, was the one next
the door of entrance. Concealed by its
arching back, Tad made himself as
small as possible in the angle formed
by the end of the compartment and
side of the car, where he awaited the
result in fear and trembling.
He heard the sound of masculine
feet and the rustic of silken skirts.
blended with a subdued murmur of
voices as the parlor-car began to fill
up. A rather stout lady, richly dressed,
paused beside the chair behind which
Tad was hidden.
at is so warm here, John, I shall
not need to keep on my circular" she
said, in a somewhat languid tone. Tad
could not distinctly see the person thus
addressed, but by the way he threw
himself into the chair and Immediately
unfolded newspaper, from behind
which he voUchsafed a brief grunt in
reply, Tad imagined him to be the lady's
husband.
Suspending her heavy, fur-lined cloak
from hook ut the compartment end,
the lady patted and pulled its long
folds into place behind the chair-back,
and for moment Tad's heart almost
stopped beating, as her gloved fingers
once or twice actually grazed his hair.
But he remained undiscovered, and,
better still, the sheltering garment
helped to hide him more effectually
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